Some teens here at SCHS are reading from our Book Wars: Episode 3 list. This title was the only one I was a little hesitant about including because of the disturbing descriptions of the characters and setting. However, it seems to be the one most interesting to our students-who would have thought?
Pure by Julianna Baggott
This apocalyptic story is set in a future after a worldwide "detonation" has occurred leaving all who survived struggling to endure in a difficult world.
Pressia: The first character we meet is a young girl who must sleep hidden in a cabinet for fear of being rounded up in the periodic searches. But the struggle to survive isn't the disturbing part. When the "detonation" occurred, those who didn't die, were fused to whatever they happened to be holding or near. Pressia has a doll head for a hand. Some are fused to other humans, some are fused to animals, but all are disfigured and frightening to contemplate.
The story goes back and forth between two worlds, Pressia's and Partridge's.
Partridge: Some people knew the disaster was coming and prepared by building a Dome. They were sealed inside this Dome and did not suffer through the "detonation". Instead they continued their orderly lives with little thought for the people outside the dome. Partridge has questions and is dissatisfied by the absence of answers. He decides to do something drastic.
Both worlds collide when the mysteries start unraveling.
Haunting, disturbing and captivating all at the same time!